In the days after E3 and all its excitement came to an end, Nintendo's Japanese YouTube channel posted an Astral Chain trailer. What sets this trailer apart is its length: 10 minutes.
The trailer works almost like a "Mini Direct." It is only available in Japanese and shows more details about thegame, including character customization and combat, which the creators say lies "between Nier: Automata and Bayonetta." This combination of gameplay styles seems natural, given that the game is being developed by PlatinumGames, known for its frenetic action games, including Bayonetta, and directed by Takahisa Taura, a designer on Nier: Automata.
Even so, Astral Chain offers a unique mechanic: controlling two characters at the same time. Those characters are a human and their Legion, a living weapon used by humanity to defend Earth from an alien invasion. Several types of Legion can be used throughout the game, each with a unique appearance and abilities.
The protagonist and their Legion are connected by a chain, and this is incorporated into combat
But the game is not based entirely on action. Since the player controls a police officer, it is possible to carry out mundane tasks between chaotic missions, including picking up trash from the street and looking for cats scattered throughout the setting.
In an interview with Polygon, Takashi Taura said:
Through the game, we hope to give the police a heroic image. You cannot do things like hurt citizens in this game. We want players to feel heroic as they progress through the game.
Yes, cats scattered throughout the setting!
Another thing highlighted by the trailer is the game's unique aesthetic. In the same interview, Takashi says:
As we created the game, I was actually influenced by many anime that I like. For example, Ghost in the Shell and Appleseed.
The trailer was probably released at this time precisely because "the dust had settled" after so many E3-related announcements, allowing the team to focus on the game without being overshadowed.
At the moment, there is no version of the trailer in another language, but it is possible that the game could receive one, or even a Nintendo Direct, before its August 30 release, given that PlatinumGames action titles are also highly popular in the West.
